Howls of joy mark opening of Fletcher dog park

Sunday

Apr 7, 2013 at 8:17 PM

The Morris Broadband Dog Park inside Fletcher Community Park opened to the public on Sunday.

By NATHANIEL AXTELLTimes-News Staff Writer

FLETCHER – If it's true that “every dog has its day,” Sunday was it for Molly, a 7-year-old Yorkinese owned by Linda Davidson.Minutes after Mayor Bill Moore snipped the ribbon at the grand opening of the new Morris Broadband Dog Park, Molly was one of the first dogs in the gate around 2 p.m. She quivered with excitement, a slobbery neon ball clenched in her jaws.Davidson, a regular visitor to Fletcher Community Park, said the fenced-in dog area will provide a safe place to let the Yorkshire terrier-Pekingese mix run off some of her energy without breaking any rules. Back home at Stafford Crossing Condominiums, dogs aren't allowed to run loose, she said.“It's not like she runs wild,” Davidson said, as she threw the ball for her tireless retriever. “She runs and then she comes back. But it's great to have a place like this. It's dog-friendly, it's family-friendly. It's just nice to come and get away.”A dog park has been in the town's master plan since 2008, but has been a topic of discussion for the last 20 years, said Councilman Bob Davy. After considering several locations, the town eventually decided on a parcel at the back of the Fletcher Community Park.“This is a family-friendly park, and for a lot of people, their dogs are their kids,” Davy said, explaining the popularity of dog parks. “A lot of dogs don't get as much exercise as they need, and if they're like mine, it's also a good place to develop their social skills.”The socialization Sunday was mostly amicable, though a few dogs asserted their dominance over others in the pack before their owners intervened. The dog park features two separate run areas: a 200-by-150-foot area for dogs weighing more than 25 pounds and a 150-by-100-foot lot for smaller dogs.Morris Broadband committed $10,000 to the project, which includes benches and doggy waste stations, while Fletcher Town Council kicked in another $12,000. Parks and Recreation Director Greg Walker said future plans include erecting shade structures and agility equipment, as well as drinking fountains.“That's something we'll start looking at in the 2014-15 capital improvements,” Walker said, adding the cost of running water lines from the city's public works building or the park's concession area is steep. For the time being, owners are encouraged to bring water and bowls for their pups to drink.Cliff Dodson, former superintendent of Buncombe County Public Schools, walks his “retirement present,” a golden retriever named Max, in Fletcher Community Park almost every day. He's watched with anticipation as workers readied the dog park for its opening.“We've had to go the Mills River dog park and let him run off leash, but this is more convenient,” Dodson said. “I'm so glad the Fletcher town government decided to do this.”While dogs cavorted inside the chain-link, across Fletcher Community Park more than 200 people and their pets participated in the fourth annual “Run for the Paws” 5K run and 1-mile walk to benefit Brother Wolf Animal Rescue.Alejandro Arreola of Charlotte placed first among all male runners, with a time of 18:30.1, followed closely by Andrew Snow of Hendersonville with a time of 19:36.5. The top female finisher was Narane Orlando of Asheville, with a time of 22:01.4. Although not every participant had four-legged pacers, race organizers said both the top male and female finishers ran with their dogs.